Earl of March working overtime in chase for girls' tier 1 field hockey title

After winning a tiebreaker and a preliminary-round playoff match, the Earl of March girls’ field hockey team has come to life, following a 1-4-1 tier 1 regular season, which left the Lions tied for third place in the west conference.

But their reward for defeating Bell Bruins 1-0 in the tiebreaker and upsetting St. Peter Knights 2-1 in the preliminary round earlier this week is a quarter-final matchup against one of the two hottest teams in the National Capital Secondary School Athletic Association league.

March will travel to Merivale on Thursday to face the Marauders, who have won all six games without a tie and not allowed a single goal, while scoring 27. John McCrae Bulldogs, the west conference pennant winner, also are 6-0 and have scored 21 goals, while not permitting a goal.

Thursday’s other quarter-finals will see West Carleton Wolves, 3-3, play at east conference champion Ashbury Colts, 4-1-1; Nepean Knights, 5-0-1, meet John McCrae at Minto Sports Field; and Colonel By Cougars, 3-3, travel to Sir Robert Borden to meet the Bengals, 4-1-1.

March entered the playoff round without scoring a goal in its last three regular season games, which led to a tie and two losses. When it met Bell in the tiebreaker, the Lions had some confidence, having scored its only win against the Bruins this season by a 2-0 count.

In Monday’s tiebreaker, Grade 9 student and right winger Kim Ruscitti scored the only goal of the match to send the Lions into the preliminary round. Veteran goalkeeper Laura Fortune and rookie Sam Caldwell shared the shutout.

“The girls played great and rose to the challenge they were given _ do or die,” March coach Heather Kirk wrote in an e-mail. “It was our last chance at a playoff spot. The team has improved immensely over the season and really deserved the win.”

Without a day’s rest or practice, the underdog Lions and St. Peter Knights, 4-2 and second in the east conference, battled under difficult conditions _ rain, mud, wind and cold temperatures.

Julie Damaren used some effective stickhandling to get off a shot from the 25-yard line to give March a 1-0 lead. A goal by Erin Holland tied the game for St. Peter at halftime.

Amanda Polson tipped a shot by Andrea Joynt to score the decisive goal for the Lions. Kristina Lennie, who played right defence, was the backbone on March’s defence.

When March plays Merivale, it will try to reverse a 3-0 loss in the regular season.

“I know the experience we have gained over the season will make it a completely different game,” Kirk added. “The girls are looking forward to the rematch.”

A pair of goals by Kaitlyn Tourangeau, who played on the East team at the 2008 Ontario Summer Games, scored both goals for Nepean. Midfielder and captain Natalie Renaud made a perfect pass to set up the second goal.

Kate Montague earned the shutout against Sir Wilfrid Laurier Lancers, 1-4-1, who were competing in their first field hockey playoff game. A number of younger players were pressed into action because of injuries to several experienced players.

The Lancers carried 27 players this season and even had a junior team, which placed second in the Colonel By Rookie tournament.

Emma Pickell scored the game’s only goal and Lisa Ventola was perfect in net as West Carleton Wolves blanked Glebe Gryphons 1-0 in their preliminary-round match.

After a scoreless first half, Sally D’Sousa, a Grade 9 student, scored on a tap in at the left wing and Grade 12 student Lisa Fabbro drilled a hard shot into the net as Colonel By Cougars defeated St. Pius X X-Men 2-0.

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